Tips on Some Handy Car Repair Methods

If you like working on your own car the way I do, you will have learned a number of little tricks over the years that can really help you out in a time of need.

Here is a marvelous product that has multiple uses. I keep a can of this in my car at all times. This product is penetrating oil. I use the Water Dispersant type and it does a pretty good job of it too.

Spray some wd-40 or liquid wrench penetrating oil into your distributor cap if you notice the engine is mis-firing and often this can cure the problem. The engine gets quite hot and during the cool down after the engine is switched off, moisture can seep in and condense inside the cap. The water can cause a spark to strike to ground and the spark plug doesn't fire and you have a miss. Pop the cap and give it a liberal spray and a rub with a paper towel. Not only will the water be removed and any trace moisture a towel would normally leave behind, but the oily residue also contained in the spray will help remove carbon traces which can also cause a mis-fire.

And while you have the can out, insert the thin plastic nozzle of the spray wand into the keyholes and ignition of your car and give it a quick one second squirt. And then use the key to rotate the mechanism and lubricate the lock. WD-40 or liquid wrench will also penetrate rust and corrosion and help loosen up stubborn nuts and bolts.

Ever have a fuse blow and find yourself with no replacements handy? Here are two methods that will get you back on the road. If the fuse is the old glass enclosed type just wrap a gum wrapper around the fuse and put it back into the socket. The foil will act as a conductor and the circuit will be alive again.

If you have the newer two prong fuses you can strip the end off of a piece of wire and just insert each bare end into the socket the fuse occupied and again, that circuit will be alive again.

Now, you should be aware of this fact however. That fuse blew for a reason. It sacrificed itself so the wiring or an electronic component doesn't go up in smoke. So the fuse is an important safety device.

If you decide to try this method of temporary fuse replacement, be ready to yank the tampered with fuse out immediately if signs of damage should begin making themselves known to you. Signs like smoke, strong odor of burning etc. This method of fuse tampering should only be used in case of extreme and urgent need and the correct amperage fuse should be replace the temporary fix as soon as possible.

One last thing about fuses. They can and do, simply wear out and fail. Each time you activate a circuit in your car like the lights for example, current will flow through that fuse. So that fuse heats up a tiny bit each time it is used. Over the years this flexing from heat expansion will cause that fuse to fail when there is no overload or short in the circuit whatsoever.

Got a missing or broken wheel stud? Nothing easier to fix. You won't need a garage for this one. Have a replacement lug stud ready. Pop the wheel off and using a large hammer, I use a 42 ounce ball pean, whap that broken stud with a good amount of force. It helps if you can get a lug nut threaded on as this provides a larger surface for the hammer to strike upon. That stud will pop out of it's hole on about the second or third strike.

Push the new stud through the hole and again using a lug nut and also a lug wrench, tighten that nut down on the lug stud. This will pull the stud through the hole and seat it up against the base plate where it belongs. You may find that you have to remove the lug nut and replace the wheel and continuing tightening process to finish up.

Your rear view mirror falls off. Go down to the auto parts store and get that handy little kit they sell for exactly this reason. You can have that mirror back in place with in about 15 minutes. the kit contains a tiny piece of sandpaper, a primer/cleaner to remove residue from the windshield and mounting button and a glass tube containing an adhesive. Just follow the instructions.

Lastly, each car comes with this item but seldom are they very worthwhile. I am speaking of the tire jack. Most of these jacks are flimsy and are difficult to work with even when used with the particular car the jack is designed for. If a friend or a stranded driver needs a jack, you may be unable help them because of the multitude of jack designs.

Go over to the department store and get your self an inexpensive floor jack. This tool will set you back about twenty five dollars but you will never have to buy another jack, it will work on any vehicle and it will lift far far far more weight that that collapsible piece of junk the car manufacturer set you up with. It is also faster and easier to use.

The jack that came with your car is almost certainly a type of jack called a screw jack. And there you are straining to work the jack under the car and trying to manipulate the long flimsy crank rod that came with it in an effort to raise the car. And what if you happen to have a flat on a steep incline? That jack will let your car fall and maybe it will be when you have your hand or arm in an unfortunate location? Suppose you are in mud or soft soil trying to change a tire? Get this floor jack. It is only about 24 inches long, it is flat, stable and will raise your car in about 15 seconds with a minimum of effort. Well worth the investment.

I hope these handy tips will come to your aid someday and save you some grief and worry. And remember, safety always comes first. If you are ever in doubt as to how to carry out a repair, please consult someone that you trust will have the information or advice you need.